Another child has died following an apartment fire in Key West that left three others dead as well, authorities confirmed to Local 10 News Tuesday.
Key West police confirmed that SD, 5, died Saturday after being transported to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital following the Thursday night blaze.
Three others, JD, 41, EP, 38, and DD, 7, were pronounced dead the night of the fire after firefighters responded to the public housing building at 1010 Emma St. in the island’s Bahama Village neighborhood.
Police confirmed that DD was pronounced dead at the Lower Keys Medical Center.
Video taken at the scene shows several people near the home, very frantic and shouting as they try to help. Witnesses nearby can be heard shouting about other people still being inside the home.
JD, 14, SD, 13, and S were pulled from the home and were transported to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where they were being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. S would die at the hospital two days later.
Neighbors said all the family members were upstairs when the fire broke out downstairs, making it difficult for them to escape. One of the children upstairs jumped out of the second-floor window to escape, falling on concrete.
Key West Fire Department Chief AA said smoke inhalation was likely to blame for the victims’ deaths.
“Smoke is deadly. The smoke is what knocks them down. The smoke is very deadly. And you know, once that smoke got into their lungs, they all went down and then they did get burned too,” he said. “I think the smoke is what really took them down.”
The victims, officials said, are from Haiti.
“People (were) trying to help them, but it was a language barrier, so nobody understood them — what they were saying. But it was people trying to help,” neighbor LV said. “Someone pulled a little boy out (of) the fire. But, I mean, he died so … and the little girl, she came out and she was like, ‘Oh, my parents, my parents, my parents.’ And she said, ‘I made the fire,’ which means that she was in the fire.”
Neighbors praised the quick response of Key West police officers and firefighters, who were at the scene within minutes trying to save the victims.
Authorities said the American Red Cross responded Thursday night to assist anyone displaced by the fire with finding a place to stay.
A said it’s too soon to speculate on what caused the deadly blaze. Neighbors speculated that because of cold temperatures, a space heater may be to blame.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
The unit is considered to be a total loss; no neighboring units were damaged.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the D family with funeral and medical expenses.
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source: local10
